This is a place for members of Home of the Brave to post thoughts, insights, and opinions about events related to the investigation of non-combat deaths of US soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Henry Kissinger said...

Today, a member of our list sent an email mentioning Senator Kerry’s public gaff which has been characterized by some as an insult to the troops.

Now, I’m a registered Independent voter, and I don’t have much confidence in politicians in general -- regardless of party affiliation. In no way to I want this to be taken as a defense of Kerry. In short, I think we can all believe that as a comedian, John Kerry is clearly incompetent.

Somehow, however, I’m able to give him the benefit of the doubt and accept that he botched a “joke” aimed at George Bush’s policy and the Iraq War. Kerry served in the military during the Vietnam War, and if he were casting aspersions on military personnel, he would be including himself in the general grouping. To his credit, Kerry apologized publicly to any whom he had offended.

It does remind me, however, of a statement made by a man who has advised several US Presidents, including the present resident of the White House. The man is Henry Kissinger.

Henry Kissinger said: "Military men are just dumb stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy."

I don’t think this was the punch line to a botched joke. I think he meant it, and that in this quote, Henry Kissinger revealed the attitude of most politicians eager to wage war in the name of the people of the United States of America.

I venture a guess that the members of this sadly exclusive club, consisting of family and friends of military members killed while on active duty, will find Henry Kissinger’s statement to be far more offensive than Kerry’s. Let us work together to prove to the powerful in our government that they must change their attitude about the young people who are willing to fight and die in our country’s name.

In that vein, the US Military must begin to take the investigation of suspicious non-combat deaths as a serious matter.

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Our Loved Ones

Families

"I told them, 'Hey, if you don't want to deal with mourning families, then recruit orphans."

Peggy Buryj

"After the truth of Pat's death was partially revealed, Pat was no longer of use as a sales asset, and became strictly the Army's problem. They were now left with the task of briefing our family and answering our questions. With any luck, our family would sink quietly into our grief, and the whole unsavory episode would be swept under the rug. However, they miscalculated our family's reaction."Kevin Tillman

"...our treatment by the country for which our loved ones gave their lives has added another dimension of grief and difficulty. Having one another gives us the encouragement to continue."

Joan L. Piper

"The greatest disappointment, is in our country whose leaders plainly have an agenda that values the establishment over the individual, form over fact, expedience over truth. All of us morn the loss of our loved ones, but we also morn the loss of respect that we all have had for our country."

Dr. John Sabow

"I will review these records to identify what led to [Phillip's] murder and the acquittal of his murderer," Esposito said Friday. "In fighting for justice for Phillip, my daughter and myself, I also fight for justice for all officers and servicemembers. No other family should have to suffer as we have." Siobhan Esposito

Historical Fact

"Of the more than 274,000 officers and men who served in the army during the Spanish-American War and the period of demobilization, 5,462 died in the various theaters of operation and in camps in the a U.S. Only 379 of the deaths were battle casualties, the remainder being attributed to disease and other causes."

Source: Encyclopedia of American History by Richard Morris

In 1898, thousands of soldiers got food poisoning from meat packed by Armour and Company and sold to the Army. There are no figures on how many of the five thousand noncombat deaths were caused by this.

The Oxford Companion to American Military History estimates that between 2 percent and 25 percent of the casualties in America's wars are attributable to friendly fire.